It is well known to pump beer/lager from a keg located in a cellar room to a remote dispense head positioned at a bar counter for dispense of beer/lager. Typically, the beer/lager is chilled in the cellar and is delivered to the dispense head in a supply line commonly referred to as a “python”.
The beer/lager may be cooled to its dispense temperature by a cooler in the cellar and prevented from warming appreciably between the cellar and the dispense head by circulating cooling fluid, usually water, in the python.
For some applications, the beverage may be cooled to within a few degrees of the dispense temperature and a further cooler, sometimes referred to as a “trim” or “flash” cooler, provided close to the dispense head to provide accurate control of the dispense temperature.
This cooler provides final adjustment of the dispense temperature immediately prior to dispense and may allow beer/lager to be dispensed at very cold temperatures, e.g. down to and below 0° C. without freezing in the supply line.
Known dispense heads commonly include a valve that controls dispense of the beer/lager. The valve is operable by any suitable means and careful control is required to prevent breakout of CO2 occurring as the beer/lager is dispensed leading to frothing in the dispense head and in the glass into which the beer/lager is being dispensed. Existing dispense heads are generally capable of dispensing a full pint of beer/lager without excessive breakout in about 14-20 seconds.
On completion of a dispense, some beer/lager remains in the nozzle downstream of the dispense valve when the valve is closed. This may lead to incomplete dispense of the desired volume of the beverage, for example half-pint or pint measures.
In addition, the beer/lager remaining in the nozzle may warm up before the next dispense and this may have an adverse affect on the temperature, taste of the next dispense.
These problems may be increased by growth of bacteria, where the beer/lager remains in the nozzle for a prolonged period of time between dispenses, for example overnight.